Embodiments include systems and methods for targeting using storage magazines. Some embodiments operate in context of a data storage environment, in which the magazines are used to hold data cartridges, and the data cartridges are installed in, removed from, and ferried between the magazines by a robotic mechanism. Magazine implementations include integrated targeting features in the magazine base structure. For example, some side walls of the magazine slots are shaped for optical targeting, while other side walls of the magazine slots are shaped for lead-in (i.e., to minimize undesirable collisions or interference between the cartridges and the magazine slot walls). Some embodiments describe novel locating functionality in context of magazines with integrated targeting features. Other embodiments include other geometric magazine features.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for positioning a robotic mechanism with respect to a storage magazine to install a data cartridge in or remove the data cartridge from a destination slot of a plurality of slots of the storage magazine, the method comprising: scanning across the storage magazine using an optical scanner to acquire scan data; processing the scan data to identify a first targeting feature and a target location corresponding to the identified first targeting feature, wherein each of the plurality of slots is defined by a structural opening having at least a first side shaped to form a lead-in feature and a second side opposite the first side and shaped to form either a lead-in feature or the targeting feature, such that the second side of one of the plurality of slots is shaped to form the identified targeting feature; determining a slot location of the destination slot according to the target location; determining whether the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the targeting feature; positioning the robotic mechanism according to the slot location; and positionally biasing the robotic mechanism toward the first side of the destination slot when the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the targeting feature, such that the lead-in feature operates to reduce interference between one of the data cartridges and the first side while the data cartridge is being installed in the destination slot.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the second side is shaped to form the targeting feature when the second side comprises an edge that is sufficiently sharp to be identified and located by the optical scanner to within a predetermined accuracy.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the identified first targeting feature.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the storage magazine comprises at least two slot locations each having its second side shaped to form the targeting feature and at least one slot location having its second side shaped to form the lead-in feature.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein: scanning across the storage magazine using an optical scanner to acquire scan data comprises scanning in a first dimension and in a second dimension; processing the scan data to identify the first targeting feature and the target location corresponding to the identified first targeting feature comprises: identifying a first edge of the first targeting feature from scan data acquired while scanning in the first dimension; identifying a second edge of the first targeting feature from scan data acquired while scanning in the second dimension; and identifying the target location as a two-dimensional location according to the first and second edges of the first targeting feature; and positioning the robotic mechanism according to the slot location comprises positioning the robotic mechanism in the first and second dimensions according to the two-dimensional location.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the first targeting feature has a substantially rectangular shape, the first edge being a relatively long edge of the rectangular shape and the second edge being a relatively short edge of the rectangular shape; processing the scan data further comprises defining a scan window as a function of the first edge after scanning across the storage magazine in the first dimension and before scanning across the storage magazine in the second dimension; and scanning across the storage magazine in the second dimension comprises scanning across the storage magazine within the scan window.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the slot location of the destination slot according to the target location comprises: identifying one of a plurality of records in a slot map that corresponds to the destination slot, the record comprising a nominal slot location of the destination slot; determining the slot location according to the nominal slot location and the target location.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the first side is shaped to form the lead-in feature over a lead-in distance; and positionally biasing the robotic mechanism toward the first side when the second side of the destination slot is shaped for targeting comprises moving the robot in the direction of the first side by an amount that is less than or equal to the lead-in distance.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the robotic mechanism according to the slot location comprises: positioning the robotic mechanism according to the slot location without positionally biasing the robotic mechanism toward the first side of the destination slot when the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the lead-in feature.
10. A data storage system comprising: a magazine comprising a plurality of slots operable to receive data cartridges via an opening having a first side shaped to form a lead-in feature and a second side opposite the first side and shaped to form either the lead-in feature or a targeting feature, wherein at least one slot has its second side shaped to form the targeting feature; an optical scanner operable to scan across the magazine to acquire scan data; a robotic hand assembly operable to install a data cartridge in or remove the data cartridge from a destination slot of the plurality of slots of the magazine; and a processor operable to: process the scan data to identify a first targeting feature and a target location corresponding to the identified first targeting feature, wherein the identified first targeting feature is the second side of one of the plurality of slots shaped to form the targeting feature; determine a slot location of a destination slot according to the target location; determine whether the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the targeting feature; position the robotic hand assembly according to the slot location; and positionally bias the robotic hand assembly toward the first side of the destination slot when the second side of the destination slot is shaped to form the targeting feature, such that the lead-in feature operates to reduce interference between one of the data cartridges and the first side while the data cartridge is being installed in the destination slot.
11. The data storage system of claim 10 , further comprising: a module operable to house at least the magazine and to provide a targeting environment suitable for scanning by the optical scanner and for installation of data cartridges into and removal of the data cartridge from the plurality of slots of the magazine.
12. The data storage system of claim 10 , wherein: the module is sized to fit within the height, depth, and width of a “2 RU” volume of a standard equipment rack; and the magazine comprises an array of fifteen slot locations that is three rows high by five columns deep, the array being fully enclosable within the module.
13. A storage magazine comprising: a structural framework that defines a plurality of slot locations, each configured to receive data cartridges via an opening, and each having: a first sub-structure on a first side of the opening comprising a lead-in feature shaped to reduce interference between one of the data cartridges and the first sub-structure while the data cartridge is being installed in its corresponding slot location; and a second sub-structure on a second side of the opening opposite the first side comprising either the lead-in feature or a targeting feature, wherein the second sub-structure of at least one slot comprises the targeting feature.
14. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein: the targeting feature comprises an edge that is detectable by an optical scanner to a degree of accuracy sufficient for positioning a robotic mechanism with respect to the at least one slot location in at least one dimension.
15. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein: the targeting feature comprises at least two edges that are detectable by an optical scanner to a degree of accuracy sufficient for positioning a robotic mechanism with respect to the at least one slot location in at least two substantially orthogonal dimensions.
16. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein the lead-in feature comprises a bevel or a radius.
17. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein: the structural framework comprises six sub-structures that define five slot locations; four of the six sub-structures each comprises the lead-in feature; and two of the six sub-structures each comprises the targeting feature.
18. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein: the first sub-structure of one slot location is the second sub-structure of another slot location.
19. The storage magazine of claim 13 , wherein: the targeting feature is integrated into its corresponding second sub-structure by shaping the second sub-structure to form the targeting feature.
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May 24, 2012
October 7, 2014
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